Inhibition of human lymphocyte proliferation by nitric oxide-releasing oxatriazole derivatives

The effects of novel nitric oxide (NO)-releasing oxatriazole derivatives GEA 3162 and GEA 3175 were studied on cell proliferation and cGMP synthesis in human peripheral blood mononuclear cells stimulated with a lectin mitogen concanavalin A. GEA 3162 (1–30 μM) and GEA 3175 (3–30 μM) inhibited mononuclear cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner being more potent than the earlier known NO-donor S -nitroso- N -acetylpenicillamine. The inhibitory action was more pronounced when submaximally stimulating concentrations of concanavalin A (0.1 and 1 μg/ml) were used and no inhibition was seen when concanavalin A concentrations were increased up to 10 μg/ml. The antiproliferative concentrations of GEA 3162, GEA 3175 and S -nitroso- N -acetylpenicillamine induced a rapid and transient increase in cGMP production in mononuclear cells cultured in the presence of concanavalin A. Both the antiproliferative action and the increased cGMP production were attenuated when red blood cells were added into the cultures indicating that NO is responsible for both of these actions. An analogue of cGMP, 8-bromo-cGMP (0.1–3 mM) reduced concanavalin A-induced proliferation in a dose-dependent manner suggesting that cGMP may be involved in the antiproliferative action of NO-donors. NO-releasing compounds have immunosuppressive actions which offer therapeutic possibilities and should be kept in mind as potential adverse events when these compounds are used in other indications.